What I learned from the masters
 

One duck hook can ruin a lot of hard work at Augusta. The tee shots often setup for a little draw as rorys did on 10 but when you are 21 and it's Sunday at the masters the adrenaline is flowing over acceleration can take over and a straight shot turns into a draw and a draw turns into a hook.

An awesome tournament as usual. I think Bobby Jones said something about tournament golf is like walking a tightrope but in majors they take away the net.

Inexperience cost Rory. 10 requires a big slinging hook to get down the hill. He used a driver and did not aim enough right to offset an overly hooked shot. You can't birdie that hole anyway with a closely hit second, everyone who birdies there makes a longish putt. In 1982, Weiskopf was a couple strokes back of Stadler after birdieng 9. He hit a driver deep in the woods and was off the leader board. Hit the three wood, aim to the right second cut and sling the draw. If it does not come off you are left with 210 from a hanging lie, but at least you are not in some cabin's barbecue. Great tournament, lots to learn, amazing how well Schwarzel keeps his swing on plane and what terrific extensor action he has. In his pre shot routine, start-down waggles, a swing any G.O.L.F. enthusiast would enjoy watching.

Sunday was a heartbreaker.

I think it was the nerves that got to Rory.

Throughout the week he had a tendency to pull his putts left of the hole when he was a bit on the defence, and the more serious things got the more putts he missed left. On Sunday he started to do that right away, and he wasted a few on the green before the tee shot on 10.

I've seen this before - and also experienced it myself - under "slightly" (grin) pressurized circumstances. A club tournament or simply heading for a great round and often it's the short game that starts to fail first. The dreaded tee shot usually comes a few holes later.

It just goes to show that Rory is human like the rest of us. It was painful to watch his meltdown. I was impressed with how he handled himself and the press afterwards. And I will be rooting for him to win a major title soon.

A Winning Pre-Shot Routine
 

Sharp eye, dodger. Exactly right!

:salut:

I agree , what a swing on that guy, Charl. Beautiful.

Charl and Louis seem to have the same steadfastness to their routines both Have about the best swings I have seen. Jason daY also has a great swing and really pushes it to the max, I noticed more and more players setting up with a bent right arm more on plane right forearm less of the both arms stiff look.

It is a game of inches. Tiger missed enough puts by fewer inches than Schwartzel holed two unbelievable shots from the fairway to finish out of the money. Tiger appears to be very close.

I was unable to view it on TV, but when I saw a replay of the swing and saw the waggle, it had Machinist written all over it.

the swing dosent matter during the last day. you can have the swing of a machine but you got to have the mental toughness of a brick wall to survive.!

mcilroy has the swing of dreams but mentally he aint there yet

Right on the money, x-man!

I noticed that too. Nice arm sets. Man I like Rory's motion ....... But he straightened his Right Arm during his Hands Forward Press. Not saying it can't be done, nor do I wish to sound like more of an A Hole than I already am but I bet a little change there would help him,as it did me.

I used to LOVE his swing......this week though all I could think of was how he seems to have one of the straightest right arms at address. It looks so weird now, I guess I'm a full member of the cult:happy3:

it wasnt affecting his game on thursday friday or saturday BUT on sunday it was.........come on guys

the mental side was his weakest club in the bag on sunday. he wasnt smiling as much on the first tee or beforehand leading to the fight or flight thought......get me home or bring it on!

I agree. He was out of his comfort zone. After 9 I thought he might be ok but on 10 he got tight and quick. BUT, the drive didn't kill him. He still could have made bogey but he compounded his mistake off the tee by going way left and whacking a tree by the green. A couple of mechanical errors with a couple of mental/strategy errors and the tournament was over. Remember, he made 5 on the 2nd hole after catching the lip from the sand. If he makes 5 on the 10th he is still right there with some birdie chances ahead. It wasn't mechanics that did him in. I sure hope he can learn from this and get back up there in a major soon.

And even more amazing that he figured all that out without a full time coach. Just his dad, and not too often.

I bet you Dad has a yellow book on his nightstand or next to the toilet.